Bennett's Breakdown: Hec of a decision

By Donnovan Bennett - Sportsnet TV Personality

Follow Donnovan on Twitter: @donnovanbennett

Every year there is a fierce debate as to which standout CIS football player should win the Hec Crighton trophy. Normally the list is narrowed down to a couple exceptional performances. In 2015 however, that isn't the case as the depth of outstanding individual performances makes this year's Hec Crighton campaign more interesting than ever. Hear are the leading candidates.

Do you agree with Donnovan's picks? Who do you think should win the Hec Crighton trophy? VOTE NOW!

ANDREW BUCKLEY – QB - CALGARY
The incumbent is Andrew Buckley. Not only did he win the award a year ago, he and his team have been better in 2015. Buckley set a single-season CIS record with 3162 passing yards and also ranked first in the country among starting pivots in completion percentage with 72% and TD-to-interception ratio (19-1). He set the passing yards record despite sitting multiple fourth quarters – and even the third quarter in the Dinos league finale - because the game was in hand. The senior QB led Calgary to an 8-0 record for just the second time in school history and the Dinos scored more points than any team in Canada West annals (471). Buckley wins the "best player on the best team" argument, which many voter use as their default criteria. However, although he's been better than he was a year ago, some might hesitate to anoint him to the rare class of multiple Hec Crighton winners. VOTE

ASHER HASTINGS – QB - McMASTER
Buckley wasn't the only record-breaking QB this season. McMaster's first-year starter Asher Hastings was the first to shatter a passing mark this year – one that few people thought could be touched. His 31 passing TDs broke the CIS standard of 30 set by none other than Chris Flynn of Saint Mary's, the only three-time winner of the Hec. A record that had stood since 1989! Hastings was also accurate finishing second to Buckley in completion percentage with 71.5%, an OUA record. The MAC man's numbers are even more impressive given he was often throwing a wet football playing on rainy days six out of eight weeks in the regular season. The devil's advocate towards his candidacy is you could make an argument fellow OUA QBs Will Finch of Western and/or Derek Wendel of Ottawa were just as hard to defend and will give Hastings a run for his money for first-team OUA consideration when the Ontario conference all-stars are announced on Nov. 11. VOTE

ALEX TAYLOR – RB - WESTERN
The most dominant performer in the OUA might have been Alex Taylor. Just in his second year the tailback averaged a ridiculous 10.8 yards per carry. Not in a small sample size either as he had 99 carries on the season. Taylor was second in the country in rushing yards even though he ranked 13th in rushes. To put that number in perspective, the Mustangs standout had just over half as many carries as the only rusher ahead of him – Laurier's Dillon Campbell – and yet gained only 57 yards less. Taylor was second in the nation in rushing TDs with 12. The only man ahead of him is teammate Yannick Harou with 13. Which is part of the story as to why Taylor's year was so special. He put up video game numbers while sharing time. Western rolled four tailbacks during games and three of which averaged over 10 yards a carry. Western established itself as the most potent offence in CIS regular season history, setting new marks for points (494) and touchdowns (64) in a season. Western also set the OUA record for rushing yards in a year with 2947, breaking the previous mark also held by the Mustangs. Voters may look to reward the most statistically dominant player on a historically elite offence. Or they may determine that Taylor's numbers are just product of a system where every player in the backfield had similar success. VOTE

DILLON CAMPBELL – RB – LAURIER
Campbell was seen by many as favourite to win the Hec in 2014 before losing out to Buckley. After spending training camp with the Toronto Argos, the fifth-year senior came back to Laurier and was a more complete player in 2015. Despite an illustrious career, Campbell's signature performance came last Saturday in an OUA quarter-final upset win over the defending Yates Cup champ and 2014 Vanier Cup finalist McMaster Marauders, when he rushed for 285 rushing yards. That number would have been even higher if not for a few long runs being called back due to penalty. Still it set a new school record and was the country's highest rushing performance this season. His 39 carries that day also tied the OUA single-game mark. Campbell finishes his career as the all-time leading rusher and the holder of six Laurier rushing standards. Despite not being as statistically dominant as he was a year ago (when he had 1458 rushing yards), his 1115 yards on 186 carries, both most in the nation, are even more impressive considering he played through a variety of injuries all season. His best stat would be the fact that despite all of those carriers, Campbell never fumbled. The workhorse could get votes as a nod to his great career and how he has lifted a Laurier program that just won its first playoff game since 2010. His detractors would point out that he didn't lead the nation in rushing TDs (he had 5), yards per carry or yards per game. VOTE

TRENTON MILLER – QB - CONCORDIA
The RSEQ is the toughest to find a Hec candidate as the balance of the conference's elite teams outweigh the greatness of any one player. Hugo Richard was the favourite coming into the year but was injured and at times struggled protecting the football. The most valuable player in the conference is probably QB Trenton Miller of Concordia. The first-year starter threw 20 TDs versus just eight INTs, and averaged almost 300 yards a game. Miller was the only QB in the country with two 50-catch receivers, his number one option being Daniel Skube, who set a school record with 60 catches. The Buffalo, N.Y. native set two Concordia school standards with 20 touchdowns and 204 completions, while also rushing for 245 yards and three majors. He showed flashes of elite playmaking both from the pocket and scrambling with his legs but his true value was being a leader on one of the countries youngest football teams. Although his overall numbers don't stack up with some of the other elite throwers in the nation, his supporters would point to the fact that he didn't start the first two games of the season and his emergence is the reason the Stingers were a different team down the stretch. It's also worth noting three of his six starts came against Laval (1) and Montreal (2), which ranked 1-2 in the country in points allowed. VOTE

ASHTON DICKSON – RB – ST. FRANCIS XAVIER
Another player who has cast his ballot for Hec Crighton candidacy late is StFX running back Ashton Dickson. Dickson is the personification of clutch. In the last three games of the regular season, as the X-Men were trying to overcome a 2-3 start to make a push for first place in the conference, he rushed for 136 yards versus Saint Mary's, 122 against Acadia and 226 versus reigning league champ Mount Allison, all wins for X. Against Mount A, his 41 rushing attempts was a conference record. The fifth-year senior from Ottawa has been busy all year as he was second in rushing attempts in the nation with 160. Not just a running threat, he had over 100 all-purpose yards in all but two games and finished fourth in the country in that category. His best performance was in the last week of the season against the defending AUS champs where he had 292 all-purpose yards and the game-winning touchdown. That win clinched StFX a second-place finish and home-field advantage in Antigonish in the first round of the playoffs. With 1320 all-purpose yards on the year, his supporters will tell you he's among the most dynamic and clutch players in the CIS. What doesn't work in his favour is that it's rare the Hec Crighton is awarded to a player from a team outside the top 10. VOTE

Follow Donnovan on Twitter: @donnovanbennett

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